Rossmoor entered 2011 with a balanced budget, according to the president of the Rossmoor Community Services District.
Board President Shannon Hough delivered this news during her State of the District address to the Jan. 11 RCSD meeting.
Later, following the board election, President Hough became First Vice President Hough.
She told the audience that the district had achieved the balanced budget in spite of decreased interest income and the state taking $72,000 in property tax revenues.
“Also, due to prudent management of the Rush Park Bond reserve account, the District accumulated a reserve of over $350,000 in excess of the reserve requirement,” she said.
The RCSD has collectively decided to retire 62 bonds early.
“This will result in savings of $495,000 to Rossmoor homeowners based on fewer bond payments at the end of the repayment scheduled and an overall reduction in interest paid,” Hough said.
Public safety
“Response times for Priority One calls for service continue to be a concern to many residents,” Hough said.
“With the annexation of Sunset Beach to Huntington Beach, the matter of backup to Rossmoor became a critical issue. Board members met with the command staff of the (Orange County) Sheriffs’ Department to raise the issue and to ask for their plan for adequate backup for Rossmoor,” Hough said.
“The plan is under development and will be made public once the sheriff no longer provides law enforcement services to Sunset Beach,” Hough said.
According to news reports, some residents of Sunset Beach have gone to court to fight the Huntington Beach annexation. Until the court case is resolved, it is not known when—or if—the Huntington Beach Police Department will take over the law enforcement responsibilities for Sunset Beach.
“A major community concern surfaced with the increase in coyote activity in Rossmoor and its environs,” Hough said.
She said that while the district didn’t have the authority to act or spend money to deal with the coyotes, the district joined with the Rossmoor Homeowners Association to petition Orange County officials to act.
“The Rossmoor Predator Management Team was able to convince the county to repair flood control channel gates and to install grates to inhibit paths of travel for coyotes,” Hough said.
Capital improvements
Hough also reviewed Rossmoor capital improvement projects: the completion of the Rossmoor Park Community Center and the Rossmoor Girls Softball League’s new Snack Shack.
“This two-year project vastly improved the utility of the building with a corresponding increase in rental by other users,” Hough said.
She said upgrades of facilities at Rossmoor Park and Rush Park and the planned refurbishing of the Montecito Center, would provide the district with several rental facilities.
“A new inventory of Rossmoor’s parkway trees was completed,” Hough said. “The survey identified the status of each tree as to its health and stability and also identified the species of each tree. The Board adopted a new Approved Tree List and list of optional tree species for each block within the District. ”
Looking ahead
“It remains to be seen how the Los Alamitos General Plan will impact Rossmoor,” Hough said.
She said the California state budget crisis could have an effect on the county and Rossmoor.
Hough also said Rossmoor’s future as an independent community would be challenged by the county and the OC Local Agency Formation Commission. She said Rossmoor’s independence would be particularly challenged if the RCSD is not allowed to assume latent powers to provide municipal services.
“Nonetheless, Rossmoor remains a jewel. Taken care of, it will remain brilliant and resilient,” Hough said.
